Coin controlled apparatus



Nov. 20, 1934. E. LlPP COIN CONTROLLED APPARATUS Filed June 29, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ELMERL.

ATTORNEY.

Nov. 20, 1934. E. LIPP COIN CONTROLLED APPARATUS Filed June 29, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 INVENTOR.

ELMER L. LIPP. BY

A TTORNEY.

NOV. 20, 1934. E LIPP 1,981,273

COIN CONTROLLED APPARATUS Filed June 29, 1932 3 Shee ts-Sheet 3 FIG. 4.

INVENTOR. ELMER L. LIPP.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Nov. 20, 1934 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mesne assignments, to

, Inc., Reno,

Nev., a corporation of Nevada Application June 29, 1932, Serial No. 819,855

4Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in coin controlled apparatus and more particularly to coin controlled electric time switches.

The principal object of the invention is to close the switch for a predetermined time period when a coin of the requisite denomination is deposited in the apparatus.

Another object is to maintain the switch continuously in operative position when a plurality of coins are deposited in the apparatus in prepayment for a succession of the predetermined time periods.

Another object is to insure the proper closing of the switch contacts when a coin is deposited.

Another object is to forcibly eject the controlling coin from its operative position when the predetermined time period of operation expires.

'Another object is to open and close the switch contacts instantaneously toinsure against arcing.

Another object is to display an illuminated warning signal when the period of operation nears expiration.

Another object is to safeguard the apparatus against the use of spurious coins.

Another object is to provide a counter for recording the total number of time periods paid for.

Another object is to minimize the friction of the working parts to insure the smooth operation of the machine.

A further object is to minimize the necessity for fine precision in the manufacture of the parts of the apparatus.

Other objects and advantages appear as the description progresses.

In this specification and the accompanying drawings, the invention is disclosed in its preferred form. It is, however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to this form because it may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the claims following the description.

In the accompanying three sheets of drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a coin controlled time switch constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same nearing the completion of a cycle of operation. I

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the apparatus taken along the line IIII1I in Fig. 1'.

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of the wiring circuits of the apparatus.

In detail, the construction illustrated in the drawings, referring more particularly to Fig. 1,

comprises the enclosing casing 1, having the lid 2 hinged thereto at 3-3. A suitable look (not shown) on the lid is arranged to cooperate with the latch bar 4 to close the open front of the casing to prevent access of unauthorized persons to its contents.

The guide 5 extends through an opening provided in the side of the casing and is fixed to the casing on the bracket 6. The coin slide '7 is slidably mounted on the guide 5 and is confined thereon between the upwardly projecting overturned flanges 88. The end of the slide is bent upwardly to form the convenient handle 9 to be grasped by the operator. The slide '7 has the circular hole 10 therethrough outside of the casing to receive the coin to be deposited and is adapted to register with the opening 11 provided through the bottom of the guide 5 when the coin slide is manually advanced into the casing.

The finger 12 is pivoted on the plate 13 extend ing between the guide flanges 8--8 and is urged downward against the slide 7 by the arcuate spring 14 having its opposite end secured to the plate 13. The guide 5 has the opening 15 therethrough below the end of the spring-pressed finger 12 and is of predetermined width to pass all coins of a diameter of less than that of a coin of the requisite denomination for operating the apparatus.

The permanent horseshoe magnet 16 is mounted at 1'7 on the end of the guide 5 and is spaced from the bottom thereof to permit the entry of the coin slide therebeneath. All spurious coins of a ferrous alloy are attracted by the magnet 16 and displaced from the slide 7 as it is advanced under the magnet.

' The vertical base 18 is mounted within the casing 1 on the brackets 19-19 (see also Fig. 3). The guide blocks 20, 21, and 22 are integral with the base 1 and form the sides of the coin chute 23. The transparent pane 24 is secured to the guide blocks by the screws 25 and is spaced from the base 18 to form the front of the coin chute. The base 18 at the top of the chute is bent angularly outward at 26 toward the delivery opening 11in the bottom of the guide 5. The inclined plate 2'7 is fixed to the underside'of the guide 5 and is arranged to deflect the coins passing through the opening 11 into the upper end of the chute 23.

The lower end of the chute is closed by the gate 28 forming a projection on the ejecting member 29 which is pivoted at its lower end on the stud 30. Thetransparent strip 31 is riveted to the ejecting member and covers the gate 28 and is shaped to conform to the contour of the lower end of the pane 24 serves to retain the coins against lateral displacement in the'lower end of the coin chute.

The angularly disposed passage 32 is formed between the guide blocks 20, 21 and terminates adjacent the slot 33 in the side of the casing suitably shielded at 34. This passage receives all additional coins, when the previously deposited coins in the chute 23 are stacked up level with the entrance of the angular passage, and discharges the additional coins through the shielded opening 33.

The trigger 35 is pivoted at 36 on the ejecting member 29 and extends laterally into the path of the coinsdescending into the lower end of the coin chute 23. The spring 37 contracts between the fixed stud 38 and the rear end of the trigger to urge the trigger into operative position contacting the stop 39. This spring also performs the dual function of urging the ejecting member 29 to assume the position illustrated in Fig. 1 with the gate 28 closing the lower end of the coin chute.

The coin gap 40 is formed in the ejecting member 29 laterally to and beneath the gate 28 and is arranged to receive the coin from above the gate when the gate assumes the position shown in Fig. 2. The cash box 41 is placed within the easing 1 with the slot 42 in its side registering with the coin gap 40 to receive the coin ejected therefrom.

The cam 43 is mounted on the end of the shaft 44 within the central opening 45 in the ejector 29 and is adapted to cooperate with the trip 46 integral with the ejector to move the ejector into the position shown in Fig. 2. The camshaft 44 is driven by a squirrel cage type induction motor which is energized by the inductive coil 47 (see Fig. 3) wound on the usual laminated field magnet 48. The conventional electric clock reduction gearing contained in the casing 49 is interposed between the induction motor and the shaft 50 projecting from the casing 49 and is arranged to time the rotation of the projecting shaft. The pinion 51 is fixed on the end of the shaft 50 and is enmeshed with the larger gear 52 mounted on the camshaft 44. The precise ratio of the gearing interposed between the induction motor and the camshaft can be varied to time-any predetermined period of operation as desired for different applications of the apparatus.

The operating lever 53 is pivoted on the screw 54 and has the dielectric block 55 pivotally mounted at its upper end. The non-burning contact points 56, 57 are mounted on the side of the block 55 and are electrically connected by the bus bar 58. The contact points 59, 60 are mounted, in juxtaposition to contacts 56, 57, on the blocks 61, 62, respectively, which are set in the insulating panel '63 mounted on the base 18. The spring 64 contracts between the lower end of the lever 53 and the fixed stud 65 to urge the lever into position closing the contacts 5659, 5760. The latch 66 projects upward from the trigger 35 and is arranged to engage the lower end of the operating'lever 53 to maintain the switch contacts separated againstthe tension of the spring 64.

The wires 67, 68 are connected to the terminals 69, 70 and lead from the usual incoming service line (see Fig. 4). The contact block 62 is connected to the terminal 70 by the wire 71. The opposed contact block 61 is connected through the wire 72 to the terminal 73-having the consuming line wire 74 leading therefrom. The opposite wire 75 of the consuming line is permanently connected to the serviceline 67 through the terminal 76 and the wire 77.

The terminals 73, 76 are connected through the wires 78, 79 to the field coil .47 of the induction motor. Thus the induction motor is' driven fixll en'ever current is supplied to the consuming e. The low wattage signal lamp 80 (see Fig. 1) is secured in the conventional socket 81 which is fixed on the bracket 82. This bracket is mounted on the insulating panel 83 fixed behind the base 18. The colored glass marble 84 (see Fig. 3) is set in the socket 85 extending through an opening in the door 2 adjacent the lamp 80 and is adapted to be illuminated thereby when the lamp, is lighted. This translucent sphere 84 has the advantage that it cannot be broken and access gained to the interior of the casing through the hole. It has the further advantage of retracting the light laterally.

The spring contactors 86, 8'7 are mounted on the blocks 88, 89 set in the insulating panel 83 and have the non-burning contact'points 90, 91 at their opposite ends arranged in juxtaposition to each other. The dielectric roller 92 is mounted on the ejector 29 and is adapted to impinge on the spring contactor 86 to close the contact points 90, 91 and light the lamp when the ejector assumes the position shown in Fig. 2. I

The wiring of the lamp circuit is illustrated in Fig. 4. The wire 93 connects the service line terminal 69 to the spring contactor 86. The signal lamp 80 is connected to the opposed spring contactor 87 through the wire 94 and has the return wire 95 leading therefrom back to the service line terminal 70to complete the lamp circuit.

The total number of cycles that the apparatus operates is recorded by the counter 96 mounted at the upper end of the base 18. The swing arm 97 is mounted on the end of the shaft 98 and has the link 99 engaging through its outer end (see also Fig. 3). The lower end of the link operatively engages through the disk 100 fixed on the rear end of the camshaft '44 and is oscillated thereby as the camshaft rotates.

The invention operates substantially as follows: The person desiring to operate the apparatus places a coin of the requisite denomination in the coin opening 10 and then manually advances the slide 7 into the casing. The coin first passes over the opening 15 of predetermined size provided in the bottom of the guide 5. Should the coin placed in the opening 10 be of unduly small diameter, in an attempt to defraud the machine, the spring-pressed finger 12 shoots the coin downward through the opening 15 from whence it falls into the cash box 41 without operating the apparatus.

In the case of slugs having a central opening therethrough, the finger 12 hooks through the opening and blocks any further advance of the slide. The slide must then be withdrawn and the spurious slug removed and a good coin substituted therefor before the apparatus can be operated.

Slugs or counterfeit coins of a ferrous alloy are deflected from the coin opening 10 in the guide by the attraction of the permanent magnet 16 as the slide is advanced thereunder. This coin detecting apparatus can be manufactured for a minimum cost and while its operation is not infallible it prevents the flagrant useoi' obviouslyspurious coins; thus amply protecting the machine against intentional abuse.

Genuine coins of the requisite denomination are discharged from the coin slide '7 through the delivery opening-11 when the slide is advanced into the casing to its fullest extent. The inclined plate 2'7 guides the coins, dropping from the delivery opening, into the angularly disposed entrance of the coin chute 23. The coins are thus transposed from a horizontal position in the coin slide to a vertical position within the coin chute. Coins deposited in the entrance of the chute descend thereinto until'their progress is arrested ,the shielded opening 33 in the side of the casing. This prevents a pair of coins wedging against each other in the angular entrance 26 and jamming the coin chute.

The weight of the first coin dropping down the chute 23 displaces the trigger 35 and lowers the latch 66 beneath the lower end of the operating lever 53. The spring 64 then snaps the lever 53 to close the contacts 56-59, 57-60 instantaneously.

When the switch contacts are thus closed, current flows from the service line 68 through the wire '71, the switch contacts, and the wire '72 to the consuming line '74. The current returns from the point of consumption through the wires 75, '77 to the service wire 67.

Supplying the consuming line '74--'75 also energizes the field 4'7 of the induction motor through the wires '78, '79. The motor then slowly drives the cam 43 at the predetermined speed through the interposed reduction gearing. When the cam approaches the latter part of its revolution, it impinges on the trip 46 and progressively displaces the ejector 29 against the tension of the spring 87. This swings the gate 28 from beneath the chute 23 and permits the lowermost coin a: therein to drop down into the coin gap 40 (see Fig. 2). The coin a: is confined within the coin gap by the adjacent corner of the guide block 21 until ejected, as later described.

The continuation of the movement of the cam 43 against the trip 46 lowers the roller 92 against the spring contactor 86, closing the contact points 91. This lights the signal lamp 80 by means of current supplied through the circuit 93, 94, and 95 and illuminates the visible glass marble 84. This warns the user against the impending expiration of the cycle of operation of the apparatus and the necessity for deposit of an additional coin, if none has been already deposited and further consumption of current is desired.

Coincidentally with the rotation of the cam 43, the link 99 is oscillated by the disk 100 and swings the arm 9'7 to operate the counter 96 as best shown in Fig. 2. Thus a permanent record of the number of cycles of operation of the apparatus is maintained, which should coincide with coin values deposited to safeguard against the cupidity of the person employed to collect the accumulation of coins in the apparatus.

When the cam 43 rotates a suflicient distance to release the trip 46, the spring 37 draws the ejector 29 toward its initial position. This lowers the coin gap 40 beneath the confining shoulder formed by the block 21 (compare Figs. 1 and 2) and shoots the coin a: through the slot 42 into the cash box 41.

The succeeding coin x (if any) rides up on top of the gate 28 as the ejector 29 swings toward its initial position. As the ejector approaches the end of its movement, the end of the trigger 35 abuts the periphery of the succeeding coin x and prevents full restoration of the ejecting member into its initial position. This arrests the movement of the latch 66 before 'itarrives in contact with the lower end of the operating lever 53, thus permitting the switch contacts 56-59, 57-60 to remain in closed position without interrupting the consuming circuit, even momentarily.

' The second coin 3: thus initiates another cycle of operation and is finally ejected into the cash box 41 in the same manner as the previous coin :c. The apparatus thus continues to operate without interruption as long as there are coins in the chute 23.

When the final coin is ejected, the end of the trigger 35 enters the lower end of the coin chute 23 a suflicient distance to permit complete restoration of the ejector 29 into the initial position shown in Fig. 1. The latch 66 then engages the lower end of the operating lever 53 and separates the switch contacts 56-59, 57-60, thus opening the consuming circuit and discontinuing the operation of the induction motor. The apparatus is then in position for the reception of additional coins for actuating further cycles of operation.

Having thus described this invention, what is clatimed and desired to be secured by Letters Paten is:

1. A time switch including switch contacts; a lever adapted to close said contacts; resilient means urging said lever into operative position; a latch arranged to restrain said lever; a coin chute; a gate closing the lower end of said chute; a trigger extending into the path of the coins in said chute and adapted to be operated thereby to retract said latch; an ejector having said gate, triggenand latch mounted thereon; and timed means for swinging said ejector to open the lower end of said coin chute.

2. A time switch including switch contacts; a lever adapted to close said contacts; resilient means for urging said lever into operative position; a latch arranged to restrain said lever; a coin chute adapted to receive va plurality of coins; a gate closing the lower end of said chute; a trigger having said latch mounted thereon and extending into the path of the coins in said chute and adapted to be operated thereby to retract said latch; an ejector having said gate, trigger and latch mounted thereon; timed means for swinging said ejector to open the lower end of said coin chute; a coin gap in said ejector arranged to receive the lowermost coin in said chute when said gate is opened; means for permitting the restoration of said ejector, said trigger being arranged to abut the periphery of the succeeding coin, if any, in said chute to prevent the full restoration of said ejector and latch when a plurality of coins are deposited in said chute.

3. A time switch including switch contacts; a lever adapted to close said contacts; resilient means urging said lever into operative position; a latch adaptedto restrain said lever; a coin chute adapted to receive'a plurality of coins; a gate closing the lower end of said chute; an ejecting member adapted to open said gate to eject said coins seriatim; timed means directly actuating said ejecting member; and a trigger extending into said chute and adapted to be displaced as long as a coin remains therein, whereby said switch contacts remain closed until the final coin is ejected.

4. A time switch including switch contacts; av

member adapted to close said contacts; means urging said member into operative position; a

chute.

ELMER L. LIPP. 

